Foley rapt as Cheike drops old pals act
Western Force coach Michael Foley believes the Australian Rugby Union is finally heading in the right direction after ditching its jobs-for-the-boys mentality.
He thinks some former coaching and management staff were appointed despite not being the best people available and is pleased the ARU is following New Zealand's lead by not putting people in charge just because they are good mates.
ARU general manager Rob Clarke said it had revamped its processes before approving coach Michael Cheika's appointments, because of the fall-out from controversy involving staff of former coach Ewen McKenzie.
Cheika has named Stephen Larkham and Nathan Grey as his back and defence coaches, Dean Benton as athletic development manager, Simon Roberts as teams operations manager, and friend and journalist Patrick Molihan as team manager.
Foley, a national assistant coach and a favourite to take the set-piece role under Cheika, admires the All Blacks' set-up.
"As a footballer you aspire to play in the best team in the country, doing justice to the position you've been given," Foley said.
"The ARU in recent times has just allowed so many things to cloud that fundamental understanding of this.
"The Wallabies are the flagship of our sport.
"You are looking to resource the national team with something that is going to represent Australia in the best possible way.
"How can you possibly say you're looking to do that if you're not trying to put together the best people?
"Michael Cheika has come in saying: 'let's not just appoint people who are good mates or whatever, let's try and get a good teaching team together'.
"Anybody who loves Australia loves the idea of us getting fair dinkum about that."
